Miscellaneous fun

We played in the rain... or rather the kids did and I stayed in and took pictures :-) By the way, I meant to write a little about the kids. Isaiah just loves to play with remote control cars (he got quite a kick out of making the car or truck go forward and then back up and crash into his foot) and Blokus... rather he likes to place the tiles in their spots and make pictures. I was reminded a couple of times when I to got carried away placing tiles, that "it isn't your turn yet, Bopp" (very sweetly said). He also wants to make sure he is part of the conversations. Ellen and I had a number about a variety of topics and Isaiah would frequently wait until I was done speaking and then ask, "are you speaking to both of us, Bopp". Ellen is quite the grown up these days. We had a number of conversations about grown up things and once when Sarah and Dave were teasing each other in the car, they told Ellen they were just joking, and she leaned over toward me (we were both in the way back) put her hand over her mouth so her words were directed only to me and said, "I knew they were joking before they told me. They didn't have to say that." She also has become quite the soccer player. Last summer when I was there, she had a little bit of a time connecting with the ball. But not this year. I had a hard time avoiding getting smacked in the face while the balls whizzed past me. That girl has quite a kick, and not just when it is still, she gets that ball on the run! And we made the requisite Target shopping trip. It was Verrrrrry cold outside so Ellen added some jeans to the skirt and top she had picked out to wear that day. Ellen kept asking me why I was so cold. Ah to be a kid again And, Aunt Jill, these may not be ruby red slippers but they are Ellen's new cool fushia glitter shoes :-)

Pasta pictures!

I got this brainstorm the Wed I was supposed to leave to visit the kids that Pasta pictures would be fun to make. So instead of doing the smart thing and just buying some there, I got some cool Nemo, Princess and Pirate pasta along with the regular suspects and some glitter glue and some thicker construction paper and the ever famous Elmer's glue and shipped it kind of quick (read over night). I was promised that if it didn't make it by noon the next day my money would be refunded. Alas it was not to be so. The postal service lived up to its promise and got it there by 11:30. Anyway we were ever so glad to have it and we ALL had fun.We glued with dry pasta colored and slightly cooked pasta I had thought that the kids would have as much fun as I do peeling dried Elmer's glue off their hands, but I think I might have been the only one so thrilled with that part of this craft fun. Sarah had the most fun organizing all her craft supplies on her new shelves. That Sarah is quite the organizer. :-)

Let it Snow!

Well for only the 3rd time since I moved here 4 1/2 years ago it snowed! It started as we were finishing up work about 4ish with just very large flakes floating by our upstairs windows, but it was too cold to stick. Not so by about 7 pm.

Frozzzzen

13 degrees at 7 am. I believe it warmed up to 39 very briefly today. Brrrr too cold to be out side for long. Neither of these turned out the way I had hoped, but this is the ice that formed on the trash buckets we have been collecting water in. I had to break it up with a broom handle. About 3-4 inches thick!!!!

Delicious New Year's day

And I don't just mean the food. Bry and Kim came over and spent the day with us. Kim and I drank mimosas and watched Love Actually while Wood and Bry tried to fix some hardware issues in our office. Then we played Wii and Kim impressed us all with her shooting skills. Man is she hard to beat. After a way too much groanful dinner of fried porkchops, turnip greens and black eyed peas (both cooked with hog jowls) (really they were pretty good), mashed potatoes, salad, corn bread, lime and pear jello salad and banana/nilla wafer pudding pie for dessert, we watched the Bourne Ultimatum and just had an over all really wonderful day.

Wish for Christmas

Bry took the top picture of Petey. I was wondering what Petey was thinking and I think I found out. He was wishing that he would learn how to pee like the boy dog that he is! Whoo hoo. We took him to the state park for a walk on Saturday and wonder of wonders for the first time since we have had him ... 4 times he lifted his leg like a man-dog :-) He loves to chew on the strings from sweat shirts and sweat pants and snuggled up to Wood after they went to get the paper this AM (20 degrees outside...brrrr)